Category: News

COLUMBUS, OH – While Republican candidate for Attorney General Keith Faber’s campaign has refused to answer questions about his repeated recent comments that “appear to advocate ending parts of Medicaid,” the damage is already done. Despite one-third of Ohioans losing access to the Affordable Care Act under the current Republican administration, Keith Faber appears to advocate for even more cuts that would drive up costs and leave Ohio families choosing between getting sick and paying for groceries.

“If Republican candidate for Attorney General Keith Faber is going to rip healthcare away from Ohio families, the least he can do is own it,” said Ohio Democratic Party Communications Director Marisa Nahem. “While Faber’s team tries to walk back time to before their candidate said the quiet part out loud, there’s no way to paper over the fact that Faber would gut the healthcare that Ohioans rely on if elected. Ohioans deserve answers from Faber, and they deserve an Attorney General who will protect Ohioans’ healthcare and make life more affordable for Ohio families.”

Following the Faber campaign’s refusal to answer basic questions about his plans to gut Ohioans’ Medicaid healthcare, Ohioans deserve answers. Here are five questions Keith Faber can start with answering – and it’s just a start: 

1. What do you have to say to the 350,000 Ohioans who could lose their healthcare coverage as a result of Washington Republicans’ Big Beautiful Bill? 
2. Do you believe that Medicaid is a “mistake?”
3. If a mother has to choose between getting life-saving care or feeding her child, which do you think she should choose? 
4. One in four Ohioans depends on Medicaid. How will they get care when you rip away their healthcare? 
5. How many more Ohioans do you estimate will have to take on second or third jobs to afford out-of-pocket health coverage? 

###

The post Questions For Keith Faber About His Plans To Gut Ohioans’ Healthcare appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Husted Campaign Chair and Mahoning County Native Forced to Resign in Disgrace

YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO — Today, Youngstown City Councilmembers Anita Davis and Mike Ray, and Ohio State Senate candidate Michael Kripchak, called out Jon Husted after it was revealed that Andrew Havas, a Mahoning County native and Husted campaign chair, served jail time after committing sexual misconduct with a minor.

The revelation is the latest in a disturbing pattern around Jon Husted’s top endorsers:

• Jon Husted enlisted Havas as a chair despite his 2009 guilty plea to assaulting a minor being public record.

• Jon Husted is still proudly touting the endorsement of State Representative Rodney Creech, who has been accused of sexual misconduct involving a minor relative, while his current Sandusky County campaign chair also came under fire for talking to young girls about their sex lives.

• Jon Husted has also been under fire for taking more than $116,000 directly from Epstein co-conspirator Les Wexner, including a maximum donation just a few weeks before he voted to block the release of the Epstein files.

###

The post Ohioans in Youngstown Call Out Jon Husted For Campaign Chair Exposed For Sexual Misconduct With Minor appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Columbus, Ohio – Last week, Vivek Ramaswamy was endorsed by Susan B Anthony Pro-Life America (SBA), an extreme anti-abortion group with a stated “mission is to end abortion”, completely ignoring the constitutional amendment Ohioans overwhelmingly voted for in 2023.

SBA President Marjorie Dannenfelser called Ramaswamy “exactly the type of leader Ohio needs.” Dannenfelser has previously said exceptions for rape and incest are “just wrong” and said “the rape exception is abominable.” 

Ohioans already know Vivek Ramaswamy thinks he knows better than them when it comes to reproductive rights. NBC News reported he was endorsed by the Right to Life Action Coalition of Ohio, which requires “fundamental agreement” with their policy platform for an endorsement.

This platform includes a total ban on abortion and all forms of contraception.

Ramaswamy has also described himself as pro-life “without any qualification”, campaigned against Ohio’s abortion rights amendment, and chose a running mate who was the architect of the extreme laws Ohioans rejected in 2023.

“Extreme groups that want to dismantle the rights Ohioans overwhelmingly voted for are supporting Ramaswamy because he shares their out-of-touch views and contempt for Ohioans,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Seewer. “Unfortunately for Ramaswamy, the rest of Ohio sees through his poorly disguised scams and will never vote for a candidate who thinks he knows better than the majority of Ohio voters.”

###

The post Ramaswamy Endorsed By Anti-Abortion Group Whose Leader Said Exceptions for Rape and Incest are “Just Wrong” and “Abominable” appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Columbus, Ohio — In an unearthed clip, Vivek Ramaswamy claimed that Black Americans were better off in the 1960s during Jim Crow, called affirmative action a “cancer on our national soul” and claimed it was “a form of psychological slavery.”

WATCH THE CLIP HERE: 

Ramaswamy: “Supposed aid from Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society that actually rolled back some of the benefits that Black families enjoyed, like a stable family foundation in the 1960s, no longer the case today in part because the government gave them an incentive to live in single-parent households rather than dual-parent households. Affirmative Action, effectively a cancer on our national soul in part because it’s a form of psychological slavery that holds Black Americans back by teaching them they can’t get ahead without actually someone giving them a boost.”

This isn’t Ramaswamy’s first out-of-touch comment about Black Americans. In an unearthed racist, anti-abortion rant, Ramaswamy said that “a Black baby is probably safer in the inner city of Chicago than in the womb of his own Black mother.”

“Once again, Vivek Ramaswamy has revealed his disgusting views of Black Americans. He’s out of touch with Black Ohioans and would rather disparage them than do anything to lower costs, tackle corruption or fight for working families. Ohio cannot afford Vivek Ramaswamy,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Seewer.

###

The post NEW CLIP: Ramaswamy Claims Black Americans Were Better Off in the 1960s During Jim Crow appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

“People truly want independence. They are tired of politics, particularly in the courts. They want to believe they have a fair chance. That’s why I’m running for the Supreme Court.” 

COLUMBUS, OH – As extreme partisan politics frustrate Ohioans of all political backgrounds, Ohio Supreme Court candidate Judge Marilyn Zayas talked to The Vindicator about why she’s running for a seat on the state’s highest court. Zayas emphasized that “people are losing faith” in the judicial system “because of politics,” and that the “courts aren’t red or blue, they’re about you. They’re about us.”

Read more below from Judge Marilyn Zayas on why she’s running for the State Supreme Court and how “the independence, the integrity and the accountability are really what’s on the ballot for our Ohio Supreme Court this fall.”

The Vindicator: Ohio high court hopeful running for judicial independence

• Democrat Marilyn Zayas said part of the reason she is running for a seat on the Ohio Supreme Court is “people are losing faith” in the judicial system “because of politics.”
• Zayas, who sits on the 1st District Court of Appeals in Hamilton County, said there are issues with the “politicalization of our courts, the integrity of our courts and the independence of our courts.”
• Zayas said, “People truly want independence. They are tired of politics, particularly in the courts. They want to believe they have a fair chance. That’s why I’m running for the Supreme Court. That’s why the independence, the integrity and the accountability are really what’s on the ballot for our Ohio Supreme Court this fall.”
• While Zayas opposes party affiliation on the ballot for Ohio Supreme Court and courts of appeals races, she said she is “hopeful in the power of people. I’ve run these competitive races where supposedly someone like me was not supposed to be elected. But only in Ohio I believe that someone like me can be elected because Ohio truly values hard work, they value integrity, and that’s what’s going to play out in the fall. It’s not red or blue. I keep saying courts aren’t red or blue, they’re about you. They’re about us.”

###

The post Ohio Supreme Court Candidate Marilyn Zayas: “Courts Aren’t Red Or Blue, They’re About You.” appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Columbus, Ohio- Long time, no see. Vivek Ramaswamy spent the past week abandoning Ohioans on the campaign trail to enjoy his Euro summer. During his 7-day soirée abroad, Vivek enjoyed the glow of the Eiffel Tower before jet-setting to Geneva, Switzerland. After a week enjoying the finer things in life, Ramaswamy decided to pack his bags, board his private jet, and head back to Ohio. 

To commemorate his seven days NOT in Ohio, here are seven reasons why Ohioans can NOT trust Vivek Ramaswamy:

Out of Touch with Ohio: If Vivek’s trip abroad has highlighted anything, it is that he is out of touch with the struggles Ohioans are facing and doesn’t care about understanding what working families are going through. While Ramaswamy is traversing the globe in his private jet, he ignores the daily struggles of everyday Ohioans in favor of rubbing elbows with billionaires in Geneva.

Vivek’s Medicaid “Mistake”: Across the state, millions of Ohioans rely on Medicaid and Medicare for routine healthcare and emergency medical treatment. However, Vivek Ramaswamy calls these lifesaving healthcare programs a “mistake”. Ohioans cannot trust Vivek Ramaswamy to protect their health and safety and keep their hard-earned money in their pockets.

He doesn’t even like Ohioans: Ramaswamy refuses to apologize for calling hard-working Ohioans “lazy” and “mediocre”, all while moving his business from Ohio to Texas. Why would someone run for governor of Ohio who doesn’t even like his own state?

Closing the Door to College: Vivek Ramaswamy doesn’t care about the great universities that call Ohio home. He has vowed to consolidate and close the institutions that have provided world-class education to generations of Ohioans and served as anchors for countless small businesses. Ohioans cannot trust Ramaswamy to protect the educational and economic opportunities many families strive for. 

Making the Rich Richer: Vivek Ramaswamy’s scammy plan to eliminate the capital gains tax in Ohio would save himself and his billionaire associates millions of dollars, while working-class Ohioans continue to struggle. Instead of addressing the rising cost of living or lowering taxes for everyday Ohioans, Vivek would cut taxes for Ohio’s wealthiest, including himself.

Takes from the Private Jet: Ramaswamy suggested that Ohioans struggling financially should simply earn more money. Ohioans deserve a leader who will tackle the cost of living, not one who suggests that rising costs are only in Ohioans’ imagination and calls those working hard to support their family “lazy.” 

Birds of a Feather: Last week, reporting revealed Vivek Ramaswamy accepted $10,000 from a Cincinnati businessman who served federal prison time after his role in the Operation Varsity Blues college admissions scandal. Wonder what he saw in Ramaswamy’s policy scams.

###

The post After Ramaswamy’s Seven Day Euro Trip, Here Are Seven Reasons to Not Trust Vivek Ramaswamy appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

COLUMBUS, OH – In new bombshell reporting, Ohioans are seeing that Republican Attorney General candidate Keith Faber would rip Ohioans’ healthcare away if elected in November. In addition to making comments in multiple recent media appearances “that sounded supportive of ending at least some parts of Ohio Medicaid,” “Faber’s campaign did not clarify his comments when asked about them…”

“Someone should remind Keith Faber that gutting the Medicaid that Ohioans rely on and running to take healthcare away from Ohio families isn’t a winning message,” said Ohio Democratic Party Communications Director Marisa Nahem. “While Faber was caught saying the quiet part out loud, Ohioans see clearly that Republicans like Faber are running to rip away healthcare and raise costs for Ohio families – and voters of all political backgrounds are going to reject them for it in November.” 

Faber’s comments come at a time when Republicans’ candidate for governor Vivek Ramaswamy has called Medicaid and Medicare a “mistake,” and Donald Trump and Washington Republicans – like Max Miller, Mike Turner, and Mike Carey – gutted Medicaid to pay for more tax breaks for billionaires and corporate special interests. Reporting has previously emphasized the strain Republicans’ budget bill will have on Ohioans’ healthcare specifically, stating that, “recent cuts in funding from Ohio’s Medicaid budget will force more than a half a million Ohioans off the program in the next decade and threaten the closure of 31 hospitals and clinics in Ohio.” Analysis also has detailed that Ohio is losing nearly one-third of Affordable Care Act enrollees after Washington Republicans refused to extend the ACA premium tax credits and raised healthcare costs.

Read more on Faber’s recent repeated comments which “sounded supportive of ending at least some parts of Ohio Medicaid” here:

Ohio Capital Journal: Ohio Republican attorney general candidate appears to advocate ending parts of Medicaid

• In two recent media appearances, Ohio Auditor Keith Faber made statements that sounded supportive of ending at least some parts of Ohio Medicaid.
• In April, President Donald Trump said it was “not possible” for the federal government to fund Medicaid, Medicare, and childcare. Trump was asking for $1.5 trillion in additional military spending to fund his war with Iran when he made the statement. 
• That was after he signed a bill last summer with massive tax cuts heavily favoring the wealthy and almost $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid over 10 years. 
• Faber’s office and campaign were asked if he was advocating to completely end Medicaid in Ohio or some part of it. And, did Faber believe millions of Ohioans should lose healthcare because of lax fraud enforcement — a function for which Ohio Republicans have been responsible since 2011?
• In an email, Faber campaign advisor Matt Dole didn’t respond to those specific questions […]

###

The post NEW: “Ohio Republican attorney general candidate appears to advocate ending parts of Medicaid” appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Husted Called “The Face Of Data Centers” As Electric Bills Skyrocket For Ohioans

COLUMBUS, OH – After Jon Husted cut out-of-control sweetheart tax deals and fast-tracked approvals in an effort to bring data centers to Ohio, CNBC called the state one of the “best positioned to land AI data center deals despite rising public opposition.” 

Because of Husted’s efforts, Ohioans have seen their utility bills skyrocket, with Ohio seeing the second largest utility rate increase in the country over the last year.

Ohio Democratic Party Senior Communications Advisor Tony Wen released the following statement:

“There is a reason Jon Husted has been called the ‘face of data centers’ in Ohio — he led the charge to give big corporations out-of-control sweetheart tax deals while forcing Ohioans to pay thousands more on their electric bills. Ohioans should get to decide if data centers are built in their community, not Jon Husted and his billionaire friends.” 

Jon Husted fought to bring data centers to Ohio, and families are paying the price:

• Jon Husted played such a large role in bringing data centers to Ohio, the editor of Cleveland.com referred to Husted as “the face of data centers.”

• Struggling Ohioans have seen their utility bills skyrocket, with Ohio seeing the second largest utility rate increase in the country over the last year.

###

The post NEW: Ohio Named Top State For Data Center Deals Thanks To Jon Husted appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Ramaswamy on his own pollster: “Good polling has dried up.”

Columbus, Ohio- In new audio first reported by the National Journal, failing con man Vivek Ramaswamy declined to dispute a claim that a poll conducted by his own pollster was “fake” as his gubernatorial campaign continues to struggle. 

LISTEN HERE:

“The only Ohioan who can’t see how badly Vivek Ramaswamy is losing is Vivek Ramaswamy,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Seewer. “His own running mate knows they’re struggling. Ohioans won’t elect a billionaire con man who calls workers lazy and whose scam policies would skyrocket prices for working families.”

###

The post LISTEN: Losing Vivek Ramaswamy Lashes Out at “Fake” Pollsters As Gubernatorial Campaign Continues to Struggle appeared first on Ohio Democrats.

Husted continues dodging basic questions that Ohioans deserve answered

MARIETTA, OHIO — In case you missed it, Ohioans in Marietta called out Senator Jon Husted for taking more than $116,000 directly from Epstein co-conspirator Les Wexner, including a maximum donation just a few weeks before he voted to block the release of the Epstein files. 

The rally in Marietta comes as Husted continues to dodge questions and accountability after voting against the release of the Epstein files. Recently, Husted ran away from a reporter when asked why he accepted money from an Epstein co-conspirator. 

Ohioans have also protested Husted in Columbus, Toledo, Youngstown, Westlake, Steubenville, and Lima, and Husted was called out for being a “pedophile protector” at an event in Norwalk. Husted is the only Senator up for re-election to take Wexner’s money, and has taken 10 times as much money from the Epstein co-conspirator than any other sitting Senator.

See For Yourself:

WTAP: Marietta protest targets Ohio Sen. Jon Husted

• WTAP: [Organizers] allege Husted accepted more than $116,000 tied to billionaire Les Wexner. Wexner has been publicly linked to Jeffrey Epstein, and has been described by protesters as an Epstein co-conspirator.

• Geneva Cech, concerned Ohioan: It’s important that our representatives are looking out for our best interest. It’s important that our representatives care for us. And if we have a senator who is willing to accept donations from somebody covering up for a child predator, it’s important that we know this information.

• Cech: And come election time, I hope people can recognize that Jon Husted is not looking out for the everyday Ohioan. He’s looking to support and protect his billionaire donors.

Marietta Times: Picture This: Speakers criticize Husted donations

• The Ohio Democratic Party held what organizers described as a protest Wednesday in Marietta focused on U.S. Sen. Jon Husted’s campaign contributions from Les Wexner, who had worked with Jeffrey Epstein from the late 80’s into the late 2000’s

• Speakers criticized Husted for accepting contributions from Wexner and for his vote on a procedural motion related to the release of Epstein-related files. Several speakers said the issue raised broader concerns about political accountability, transparency and support for survivors of sexual abuse.

• “Survivors have to face the double-edged sword, first the abuse, and then the disbelief,” said Joy Cowdery, a former teacher from Marietta, arguing that elected officials should support the release of information related to Epstein.

• Organizers said Husted has received $116,892 from Wexner over more than 20 years, including a maximum legal contribution last year. The Marietta event was billed by organizers as the seventh Ohio protest on the issue, following events in Columbus, Toledo, Youngstown, Westlake, Steubenville and Lima.

TiffinOhio.net: Ohioans call out Jon Husted over donations from Epstein ‘co-conspirator’, now in Marietta

• Ohioans in Marietta this week became the latest residents to publicly call out U.S. Sen. Jon Husted over the $116,892 he accepted from billionaire Les Wexner and his 2025 vote on an amendment to release federal records related to Jeffrey Epstein.

• The Marietta gathering follows months of similar events in Columbus, Toledo, Youngstown, Westlake, Steubenville, Lima and Norwalk. Most of the people stepping to the microphone have been local residents — teachers, city and school-board officials and, in at least one case, a survivor of sexual abuse — who say they want answers about Husted’s judgment.

• Campaign finance records from the Federal Election Commission and the Ohio Secretary of State, reviewed by TiffinOhio.net, show Husted accepted $116,892 from Wexner across 21 contributions between 2001 and 2025. The most recent was a $3,500 maximum donation to his Senate campaign on July 3, 2025. According to those records, Husted is the only senator up for re-election in 2026 who took money from Wexner during the current election cycle.

• About two months after that July contribution, on Sept. 10, 2025, Husted voted against an amendment offered by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer that would have directed the attorney general to publicly release documents related to Epstein. The amendment, attached to the annual defense authorization bill, failed on a largely party-line vote of 51–49.

###

The post Ohioans in Marietta Condemn Jon Husted For Taking More Than $116k From Epstein Co-Conspirator appeared first on Ohio Democrats.